As young people from the Third World arrive to 'share skills' with residents in rundown areas of Glasgow, maybe it's time to swallow our First World pride and listen, writes, Adrian Turpin

Oh, for the certainties of Empire. It was once so simple. The map of the world was pink. Britain exported civilisation to its colonies, and the country was smug in the belief that this trade in values was strictly one-way. Pity any Victorian imperialist faced with the news, then, that nine Indonesian volunteers are being deployed to help in some of the most deprived areas of Glasgow. The buzz you can hear is Dr Livingstone rotating rapidly in his missionary grave.

Indonesia is one of the world’s poorest nations. Since its economy collapsed a decade ago, it has struggled to keep pace with its Asian counterparts. The tsunami and the earthquakes dealt it further blows. Poverty is endemic. A cynic might say that seeking help from such a country is a bit like asking the Swiss to train your navy, but those statistics do not tell the whole story. In